Dental clamp



R. E. L. MILLER DENTAL CLAMP Feb. 16 1926. 1,572,901

Filed May 9, 1925 Patented Feb. 16, 1926.

UNITED STATES rarsnr OFFICE.

ROBERT E. L. MILLER, or rnon'r ROYAL, VIRGINIA.

DENTAL CLAltiP.

Application filed May 9, 1925. Serial No. 29370.

. anduseful ln'iprovenients in Dental Clamps,

of which the followin is a specification.

This invention relates to dental instrun'ients, and especially to an improved forn'i of dental clamp.

In performing certain dental operations, especially the preparatory operations of taking impressions on wax a guide for forming a set of lower teeth, it becomes necessary to hold a wax mould on the lower gum from which the teeth have been ex t acted. In order that an arcuate piece of wax, extending from side to side of the mouth, and covering the lower gum, can be securely heldfin place while the dentist performs the necessary operations in connection with said wax, l have provided a clamping device of such constructi on that it simultaneously engages opposite sides of such wax mould, and engages the under side of the j Jatien'ts chin. in clamoi relation thus securely holding the wax mould in place on the lower gum. In order that the device may be adjustable for engaging theopposite sides of wax moulds of different sizes, the device is provided with pivots on which the mould-engaging elements are adjustably mounted, and it is also provided with means for securing the clamping elements in dif-, ferent clamping positions.

One object of the invention is to provide a clamping device of this character which is of very simple construction, which is very convenient in application and operation, and which is very effective for the purpose stated in the foregoing.

Other objects and important features are pointed out or implied in the following details of description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device in' its effective position in connection with a patients mouth having a wax mould therein. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the device shown separately. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail view, the section being in a vertical plane along the axis of the adjusting screw. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view along the line H of Fig. 2.

Referring to these drawings in detail, in which similar reference characters correspond with similar parts throughout the several views, and in which M indicates a patients mouth having a .wax mould. l/V therein, said mould being provided with lugs or lumps to, these being shown merely to assist in explaining the application of the device: The invention consists of a bodyor hub 5, a chin-engaging armfi provided with a bearing 7 journaled on the middle part of the hub 5, a screw-socket 8 extending forward from the arm 6, a screw 9 which is preferably a thumb-screw in the screwsocket, a pair of reversed counterpart mouldengaging arms 10, and pivots 11. of these coitinterpart arms. Each of these arms 1U is provided with one or more spurs 12, these spurs extending inward and inclined downward, that is, the spur or spin-s12 of each arm .10 extend toward the spur or spurs 12 of the other one of these arms, and their lower sharp ends constitute pierecing ele ments for engaging with the lugsor lumps in, or with the penetrable sides of the wax mould independently of such lumps w. 1111 the present drawing,-the lumps are shown exaggerated, for in practice, such lumps or seats are of very small size, and may be dispensed with, for the spurs can easily be pressed into the sides of the wax mould and thus form their own seats. When thus seated, either on the lumps or shoulders to, r in depression made by these spurs, their inwardly and downwardly pointing relation prevents them from becoming accidentally disengaged from the wax mould.

Each arm 10 includes a substantially ver tical lower portion and a substantially horizontal upper portion, these upper and lower portions merging with one another in substantially even curves at 10, thus enabling the arms 10 to extend rearward into the patients month while avoidingpressure on the front part of the patients chin,

The arm 6 has its free end a substantiallyv circular and upwardly convexed clamping element 13 which is adapted to comfortably fit against the under side of the patients chin while pressing upward against the chin and thereby holding the arms 10 pressed down on the wax mould W. Referring to Figure 3, it will be seen that the hub 5 has a cavity 14 whose wall includes a cam-surface 15 against which the inner end of the screw 9 operates for swinging the arm 6 upward with respect to the arms 10, and for holding the arms 10 in clamping rebifurcated, and the lowerends of the arms are snugly fitted between the respective pairs offurcations, thus combining with the pivots '11 for rigidly securing the arms 10 against movement about the axisof the hub when the latter is stationary. However, these arms 10 are freely and easily movable about their pivots 11 which are parallel with one another or have their axes lying in the same plane. They also have their axes in the same plane as that of the intermediate part of the hub which serves as a journal for the circular opening or hearing 7, but it should be noted that the axis of this intermediate journal is at right angles to the axes of the pivots 11.

It is evident that various changes of con struction may be made without departure from the inventive ideas, and therefore, I do not intend to limit mypatent protection to the exact construction and arrangement of parts here illustrated.

hat I claim as my invention is: a

1. Ina dental clamp, the combination of a body, two arms pivotally mounted at opposite ends of said body and provided with means to engage with opposite sides of an article extending from side to side of a patients mouth, the axes of the pivots of these arms being in the same plane, and a third arm pivoted to said body substantially between the pivots of said two arms, the axis of this third arms pivot being substantially at right angles to the said axes of the other two pivots, this third arm being adapted to press against the under side of a patients' chin in clamping relation to the other two arms, and means to hold these arms in their clamping relation.

In a dental clamp, the-combination ot' a hub, two arms pivotally mounted at opposits ends of said hub, their pivots being substantially parallel, these arms being reversed counterparts of one another and having their free ends formed with elements extending towards one another and adapted to engage with opposite sides of an article that extends from side to side of a patients mouth, a third arm provided with a bearing which extends around the part of said hub between the said two arms and is provided with means to pressagainst the under side of the patients chin in clamping relation to the other two arms, and means to hold to said cotuiterpart arms.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ROBERT E. L. MILLER. 

